The last time Aberdeen faced Dundee United in a Scottish League Cup semi-final, Jimmy Calderwood’s Dons surrendered meekly in a grim 4-1 reverse at Tynecastle.

But that dark evening in February 2008 was very much par for the course amid a miserable era that saw Dons fans endure five defeats at that penultimate stage in four years. If Tynecastle was a low, however, the Red Army’s misery in recent years has mainly occurred in Mount Florida.

For the thousands heading down from the Granite City, the Road to Hampden was paved with fears that would soon be well-founded.

Spirit-crushing defeats followed against First Division Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup in 2008, while Celtic dished out 4-1 and 4-0 thumpings in the last four of both competitions in 2011. Even the serial Scottish Cup misfits of Hibs conquered Aberdeen in the competition’s last four, 2-1, in 2012.

Not since Arild Stavrum and Andy Dow’s second-half goals in a Scottish Cup semi-final 2-1 win over Hibs in April 2000 have Aberdeen fans left the national stadium with anything to cheer about. After 15 long years, however, the Red Army finally descends upon Hampden today full of genuine optimism. For under Derek McInnes, Aberdeen’s status as lambs to the slaughter tag has been replaced by gleeful choruses of ‘the sheep are on fire’.

Exactly 12 months ago, that was the cry as McInnes ended the Pittodrie club’s pitiful semi-final record, beating St Johnstone 4-0 in the League Cup at Tynecastle en-route to clinching the club‘s first silverware in 19 years in the final against Inverness at Celtic Park.

And although Saints gained their revenge at Ibrox in the Scottish Cup last four, McInnes bellieves his side’s efforts last year prove a watershed moment.

‘I thought Celtic Park was a brilliant spectacle for last year’s final,’ said the Dons boss. ‘But you want a Hampden final and it’s great to have the final back being played there.

Jackie McNamara insists his Dundee United side must make amends for last term's League Cup anguish

‘I can’t comment on previous teams but we’ve done well in the cups. We’ve got a big game on Saturday but it’s now second nature to the players and that’s how it should be.

‘Last season, there was an expectation to get that first trophy in almost 20 years. The desperation and need was there. And I think having handled that scenario is good. The players are now a year on, they’ve handled a European campaign and come out with their head held high.

‘It’s great to have that experience. But it doesn’t give you any guarantees you’ll win the game against a very good team like Dundee United.

‘We’re not in a Hampden final yet but the plan is to go all the way.’

Faced with great expectations and a team of perennial cup underachievers, McInnes saw a need to diffuse tensions in his squad ahead of that Saints semi-final 12 months ago. The approach would lay foundations for a challenge to champions Celtic in this season’s Premiership.

‘There was no fancy hotel, no going away - we treated it like it was just another game,’ he recalled.

Injured Aberdeen ace Jonny Hayes lifts the Scottish League Cup trophy last year

‘Playing for Aberdeen, with all the expectation, if you win a few games people can get carried away and when you lose people are falling over themselves with frustration.

‘It’s about keeping the players right and being professional at all times. We can’t affect how supporters view us. But we can affect how we work Monday to Friday.

‘So for that semi we just kept preparations the same as they would be for a league game. We do that for every game now.

‘Whether it’s on the back of a good or bad result, Monday morning is the same at training. If we have to address things from the weekend we do that but then we move on.

‘And even when we’ve not been at our best, we’ve still got results. There’s a lot to be pleased about.

Hayes wheels away in celebration after scoring against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in September

‘When I came here, I wanted us to compete quickly and get a team on the pitch that was respected in Scotland again. It pleases me no end that we are that team at the minute. But we have to keep trying to build on it as more will be expected as we go along.’

McInnes has a good record against Dundee United - played six, won four, drawn one, lost one. But the solitary defeat, an opening day 3-0 loss to Jackie McNamara’s side at Pittodrie on the opening day of the season, prompts a bout of introspection.

‘There were reasons for it,’ he said. ‘I didn’t help the players that day, if I’m honest. I picked the wrong team after our exploits on the Thursday night in Europe against Real Sociedad.

‘That’s no slight on United, by the way, because hands-down they deserved to win. Our performance was not good enough and we got punished.

‘That defeat to United at the start of the season is perhaps a good message for us ahead of this weekend - that records, experience and good players count for nothing. It’s good performances that help you win games.’